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Less than seven months after its opening, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter has reached the milestone of 1 million Butterbeers sold and today Universal Orlando is celebrating the occasion with a giveaway.

1,000 guests visiting Universal’s Islands of Adventure theme park this morning have received special vouchers for one free regular Butterbeer, to be redeemed today only:

The offer excludes frozen Butterbeer (many guests’ favorite version) as well as the refillable steins, leaving the liquid regular Butterbeer in a small plastic cup as the free option. But free is free and I doubt anyone is complaining.

Update: And here’s a group of happy Wizarding World patrons along with Ric Florell, Senior Vice President and General Manager for Resort Revenue Operations of Universal Orlando Resort (center), enjoying their complementary drinks:

Butterbeer has certainly been the runaway sensation of the Wizarding World and with the price of the popular drink averaging around $5 per glass, Universal has now brought in more than $5 million in Butterbeer sales alone.

Owner and Editor of Inside the Magic. Since growing up in Miami, Florida and ultimately moving to Orlando after college, Ricky has become an expert on Central Florida's many theme parks and attractions. He founded Inside the Magic in 2005.

Ricky Brigante

Wild Ol' Dan

Howdy Ricky,

Well, looks like Mitch is simply tryin’ to make himself one out of a million. I have to admit that, with you, I love ’em both…and that makes each of us one of the million plus who do love the stuff. To be honest though, both are grossly overpriced. There is no denyin’ that! So while both tastes great…and it is great to taste a bit of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter…we have to admit to the uneasy feeling that we are being taken…somehow it gives the fine folks at Universal kind of a P.T. Barnum image…”There is a sucker born every minute!” They are clearly taking advantage of the love we have for Harry Potter…beyond the point of what is good and pure and decent. Ten dollars for a chocolate frog? I believe there would be a much stronger feeling of good will towards Universal if they were not trying to rob every last cent of hard earned Galleons, Sickles and Knuts from Harry Potter fans who visit the Wizarding World. Still, I’ll admit I am hooked on Pumpkin Juice and Butter Beer…and wish that, like Harry, I had a vault full of Galleons at Gringotts to spend in the wonderful Wizarding World of Harry Potter…Unfortunately, I don’t…and
I believe millions of others are avoiding the place entirely for the simple reason, like it or not, that they cannot afford it. If Universal charged a fair price I believe they would see increased profits…and even greater success and good will. Yes, even people who are not rich, like the Weasleys, should be able to enjoy the real magic found in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Is profit Universal’s ONLY motivation? It certainly appears that way… The question is, how long will it be before Harry Potter fans run out of Galleons, Sickles, and Knuts and, as a result, stay away from Hogsmeade…and Butter Beer and Pumpkin Juice entirely? Adios for now, talk to ya on down the trail. Wild Ol’ Dan

Wild Ol' Dan

Howdy Pards,

There is simply something about the works of J.K. Rowling that promotes excitement and enthusiasm in Harry Potter fans everywhere. Part of it is the thrill of the unknown…in a world where anything could happen. Part of it is the adventure of it all. Part of it is the incredibly detailed and inviting world that has been created where magic and wonder still exists…incredible sights, incredible creatures, incredible things. Tis a world filled with possibilities, with mysteries, with dangers and delights. Those of us, and we clearly number in the millions, who have enjoyed these tales have truly fallen in love with…well, the whole thing!

Now, given all this, if someone comes along and says we are going to build a loving tribute to Harry’s world…filled with delightful details…filled with wonder…filled with all the beloved elements we have known and loved about the stories…of course we are going to be interested! And we are going to be thankful that someone cared enough to build the very best.

Ahhhh…but in this world of good and evil…enter another element. The money people. They may know nothing about the world of Harry Potter, they may care nothing about the reasons for the overwhelming enthusiasms of Harry Potter fans. All they know and care about is that these people can be exploited…overcharged…cheated…and that millions upon millions of Galleons can be made in the process!

It is these last people that have been put in charge of the parking garage, the admission gates, and merchandising at Universal…people whose only focus is on profits, pure and simple.

Now, how is the enthusiastic Harry Potter fan supposed to respond? Do they keep coming back time after time to be taken once again by a $6.25 16oz bottle of Pumpkin Juice or a $10 chocolate frog or box of Bernie Botts Every Flavored Beans or a $30 wand or 15 dollars to simply park their car? Or do they visit once to savor the wonderful details in the place and then stay away forevermore because of the dark forces clearly at work behind the cash registers?

Harry Potter fans are enthusiastic…but they are also just a little smarter than the average bear…they can read ya know…and the truth of it is they know when they are being exploited, cheated, shortchanged. They know.

Given that fact, it would be wise for the folks at Universal to reassess their business plan…and put a rapid stop to the exploitation.
In other words Universal needs to stop biting the hand that is feeding them…or those hands may just decide to stay away in very, very large numbers.

Wild Ol' Dan

Hold on to your hats…

Wild Ol’ Dan just returned from a 15 day visit to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter! How on earth could he aford to do something like that? Well, it took some careful analysis and a whole lotta plannin’. First, I stayed at a nice, clean motel in Kissimmee…with refrigerator, microwave, internet, swimming pool…for LESS than $31 dollars a night.
Second, I bought a PREFERED ANNUAL PASS…saved $210 on Parking Fees alone…and my average per day admission cost for the 15 days was LESS than $17 a day! And, that will GO DOWN

Wild Ol' Dan

Hold on to your hats…

Wild Ol’ Dan just returned from a 15 day visit to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter! How on earth could he afford to do something like that? Well, it took some careful analysis and a whole lotta plannin’. First, I stayed at a nice, clean motel in Kissimmee…with refrigerator, microwave, internet, swimming pool…for LESS than $31 dollars a night.
Second, I bought a PREFERED ANNUAL PASS…saved $210 on Parking Fees alone…and my average per day admission cost for the 15 days was LESS than $17 a day! And, that will GO DOWN each day I visit in the year ahead! This allowed me to shop…and save again by using my AAA card or Annual Pass…10% adds up! I rode the Forbidden Journey ride…and took my time on the Castle Tour…listening to the Founders…Listening to Professor Dumbledore…Listening to Harry, Ron, and Hermione, and savoring the magic in the Gryffindor Common Room. Ya know, I suspect that a large percentage of folks walk right through the Gryffindor Common Room without even knowing where they are! Lots of folks were runnin’ through the place way too fast…as I stood in the Defense Against The Dark Arts Classroom listening to the trio…and watching Ron
making it snow…I was amazed at how many people were missing that wonderful part of the show…because they were rushing to get on the ride! My gosh take time to savor the magic in that place…
I ate lunch everyone of those 15 days in the Three Broomsticks…had almost everything on the menu and loved it…really enjoyed the shadows upstairs of House Elves, Owls, and Enchanted Brooms and cleaning towels. AAA got me 10% off those lunches including Pumpkin Juice, Butterbeer, and Frozen Butterbeer, and some Strawberry,Peanut Butter ice cream. Loved setting in the little area out back of the Hogs Head and just watchin’ all the Muggles… Loved Shopping in Hogsmeade and at Filch’s Emporium…where, my gosh, I found the Noble Collection Sword of Gryffindor just by talking to one of the staff. It is now on the wall of my Den. It was a fabulous trip, one I thought I never would be able to afford…but, by careful planning I came home with lots of stuff…and I came home UNDER budget! I love Pumpkin Juice…brought 8 bottles home with me…I love Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans…and I love Chocolate Frogs…there are eight empty Chocolate Frog boxes behind me right now…and I still need a Rowena Ravenclaw collectible card!
But, my gosh I had fun! Imagine spending 15 wonderful days in Hogsmeade and Hogwarts…taking in every square inch including a visit to Ollivander’s, Zonko’s, Honeydukes…Dervish and Banges…the Owlery…
everywhere! It was wonderful…truly wonderful! And a really good feeling knowing I saved a fortune…with just a little, O.K. a lot, of careful planning…gosh I save $210 on parking alone! And I stayed in a nice motel for 14 nights for the same cost others were spending for one or two! Bottom line…where there is a will…there is a Wizarding World….even poor muggles like me can afford! Wild Ol’ Dan

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Based in Orlando, Florida, Inside the Magic was launched in 2005 by Ricky Brigante. The Inside the Magic podcast has since become the longest-running Disney podcast in the world, with a new show having been released every week since its inception.

InsideTheMagic.net still features our weekly podcast covering Disney and all theme park topics, also reaching out to grand openings, special events, conventions, travel, movies, and other pop culture excitement with exclusive interviews, news, high-quality videos, photos, reviews, and much more.